Recently, one of my childhood best friends flew all the way from Edmonton, Alberta to visit me in Princeton for a weekend. In the style of the New York Times column “36 Hours”, here is a breakdown of our 48 hours together to inspire a visit to Princeton.

Friday

5 pm

I met my friend at Newark airport and we took the train to Princeton Junction. I got to show her the “Dinky”, the shortest scheduled commuter rail line in the United States, which brings you from Princeton Junction to campus in five minutes. We made it from the airport to campus in less than an hour.

6:30 pm

After dropping off her things, we headed to 2D for dinner. I am a proud member of the 2D cooperative, a group of 50 students split into cookshifts of 5-6 students that prepare a delicious vegetarian meal for the entire co-op once a week. (Check out this Daily Princetonian article and a blog from 2015 which still holds true if you’re interested!)

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7:30 pm

Despite sleeping only a handful of hours, my friend was willing to attend Princeton Christian Fellowship’s Friday Night Fellowship with me. We sang worship songs, heard from our new staff members John and Megan Musick, and mingled with other students afterward. I brought her downstairs to show her the Murray-Dodge Cafe, which has free tea and cookies for students every day.

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Saturday

9 am

The next day, we hopped on the Dinky again to head to New York City. Lucky for us, the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) happened to be sponsoring a trip to Bryant Park Winter Village, so I got free train tickets to and from the city. 

11 am

We arrived at Bryant Park and spent some time wandering the stalls, eating pasteis de nata, and watching the ice skaters. I was worried it would be extremely busy, but it didn’t feel overcrowded.

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12:30 pm

We ducked into the New York Public Library (NYPL) next to the park. I had a vague idea that there was a public library location next to Bryant Park, but we were in for a treat! The Schwarzman building is perfect for exploring on a chilly day. It’s a beautiful building reminiscent of the Met which holds NYPL’s rare books and special collections. 

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We had lunch at the library cafe, perused the bookstore, and explored the free exhibitions. I was shocked to discover that NYPL has the original Winnie the Pooh and friends. The circumstances were perfect because my friend’s family loves Winnie the Pooh, and we saw the movie Christopher Robin together when it came out in 2018. 

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The third floor features a majestic foyer with murals depicting the acquisition of knowledge and the Rose reading room, which we arrived right on time to join a tour of.

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3:30 pm

After making our way through the exhibits, we started making our way down Fifth Avenue toward Central Park, window shopping and exploring a cathedral along the way.

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4:30 pm

We made it to Central Park and sat on a bench watching the sky darken. For our last stop, we walked to a Trader Joe’s, which we don’t have in Canada. Unfortunately, we didn’t get anything because the line was extremely long. I guess New Yorkers do their shopping on Saturday afternoons! We hopped on the subway to Penn Station and took the train back to campus.

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9 pm

After relaxing in my room, we headed to Noodle House for some soup to warm up. We had planned to attend the USG-sponsored showing of Wicked: For Good at the Garden Theatre, but after a whole day on our feet, we were worried we might fall asleep.

Sunday

8:30 am

On Sunday mornings, we were transported back to elementary school when we took the yellow school bus arranged for students to attend Stone Hill Church. 

10:30 am

This week, Princeton alumna Laura Megill organized a brunch for students interested in the medical field to meet physicians and researchers in the church. My friend and I enjoyed hearing their varied career paths and the role of faith and church community throughout their lives.

1 pm

Finally, it was time for a tour of the highlights of Princeton! We stopped at Labyrinth, the local bookstore, to pick up some postcards, my friend got some souvenirs from the U Store, then I wanted to show my friend one of my favorite study spots, the Princeton Public Library. There’s currently a cute holiday market on the plaza outside the library, and I was very tempted to buy something from Flore, who makes beautiful art and jewelry from real flowers from her garden. (Fun fact: she is also a Princeton professor who was my friend’s thesis advisor!) I went back a few days later and bought a few cards.

3:30 pm

Now it was finally time to take photos in all the popular spots: Blair Arch, where the Dinky used to stop and now the site of a cappella performances, known as arch sings; Rockefeller College, backdrop of countless photoshoots; Richardson Auditorium, home to performing arts and orchestra concerts; Nassau Hall, Princeton’s most iconic building; and Chancellor Green Library, filled with comfy armchairs and stained glass.

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5 pm

We managed to fit that all in before sunset, when we visited the tower room of Firestone Library.

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Although 48 hours might feel short, you’ll have time to visit the big city and the small town and get a taste of life as a Princeton student.

Thanks for reading! Since I took a semester off last fall, my graduation date was extended from May to December, so I am reaching the end of my time at Princeton. If there are any topics you’d like to read about, send me an email at the address in my bio and I’ll try to make it happen!

Transitioning from one year to the next at Princeton can be challenging. There is often the whiplash that emerges from transitioning from a restful summer recess to the rush of chaos that being back on campus brings. For some, transitioning from a summer internship to a stacked semester provides no break at all. Regardless, the demarcations between academic years at Princeton are often heavy and emotionally charged. But as I find myself in my new title of upperclassman, with two fulfilling years at Princeton under my belt, I feel strangely at ease.

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Last Spring, I declared my major, pronouncing the Department of Comparative Literature as my home for my final two years. Now situated in this department, this is the first semester where all of my classes are humanities-oriented. My weeks are hence a blissful rush of composing poems for my poetry course, reading sections of a famous poet’s biography for my feminist life-writing class, working on my ‘CompLit’ independent research, and analyzing Harlem Renaissance poetry for my New York and Black literature class. My weeks are quite reading-heavy, and I will admit that there are evenings when the words on the pages start swirling around me. Still, for the first time in my Princeton experience, I feel that my homework and classwork are reflective of what I envisioned years ago for my time at Princeton. I’m immersed in the world of literature, and it’s pretty fulfilling.

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This is also my first year off of Princeton’s mandatory dining-hall plan. As an underclassman, you are required to elect Princeton’s dining plan that affords you unlimited meal swipes: this guarantees you a meal three times a day on weekdays and twice a day on weekends. This system is incredibly nurturing during the two years in which students transition from the safety net of living at home to the whirl that is quasi-adulthood on campus. However, for picky eaters with sporadic cravings (like myself!), it can be somewhat limiting. As an upperclassman, your meal plan is your choice. You can remain on the dining hall plan, join an eating club, or be independent! Being independent essentially means that you cook (or buy food) for yourself. Many independents also choose to join co-ops — communal eating spaces that provide nightly dinners. 

I’m currently an independent in the Brown Hall Co-Op, and this has been one of the more rewarding parts of my transition to upperclassmanhood. My weekly ‘cook-shifts’ have been a welcome study break where I can decompress from the stress of the week by doing something I love — cooking for friends! And my cookshift partners and I have done our best to make the menu creative on nights when we cook. So far, we’ve done an end-of-summer barbecue, taco night, General Tso’s chicken, and breakfast for dinner. Even on evenings when I’m not tasked with cooking, I often use the co-op space to make meals for just myself, reveling in my independence and experimenting with recipes I wouldn’t have been able to try without access to a kitchen on campus. 

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Despite all the welcome changes that being an upperclassman has brought, being on Princeton’s campus for (almost) two-and-a-half years has begun to feel a little stifling. Witnessing the same sites, falling into the all-too-familiar routines, I have been feeling as though I needed a change — a break from the monotony, a burst out of my comfort zone. Resultantly, and somewhat off the cuff, I applied to study abroad in Paris in the Spring. To my surprise, my application was accepted. As much as I look forward to a new journey in a new city, I know that I would not be ready for an opportunity like this without the maturity that my time at Princeton has afforded me. 

As I go further into the second half of my Princeton career, I know there is nowhere left to go but up! And although this used to daunt me, right now, all it brings is excitement.

Over the summer, I did not know how I would feel upon returning to Old Nassau. I knew I would be excited, but I did not know if I would also feel a little indifferent, coming back to the same place but now with a different title: a sophomore. When my parents and I, sitting in a car filled by dorm whatnots, finally arrived on campus, I can assure you that any feelings of indifference I had were immediately overtaken by awe and novelty, getting “re-star-struck” by Princeton’s gorgeous architecture and sensing “maturer vibes” in the late-August air. 

You may have heard the proverbial phrase, “Absence makes the heart grow fonder;” the wonderstruck emotions I experienced on move-in day definitely appeared to justify this phrase. Because I am a Rockyite, my parents and I have to drive all the way up the road that cuts through the main hill on campus to get to my residential college / dorm hall; this means we get the opportunity to take in and appreciate many of the architectural aesthetics of Princeton from a unique standpoint. Climbing the hill on move-in, I caught glimpses of yellowish foliage near Yeh, the classic red bricks of Butler, and the stone steps and walls of Whitman, as well as so many familiar faces. Internalizing these views again after having been gone for a few months left me “re-star-struck” by the pure beauty of Princeton. When you are surrounded by amazing architecture all the time, you, unfortunately, tend to become accustomed to it, slowly losing the awe that initially paralyzed you. Well, the “awe boomerang” certainly flung back at me as I marveled at the stunning campus I am so grateful to get to call home. Inside my dorm hall, I even got re-star-struck by all the little things I too often overlooked during frosh year, like intricate molding and skillfully crafted door frames. Needless to say, I was reminded of how much appreciation I hold for “Princetecture,” or Princeton’s architecture ;).

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However, I am even more appreciative of the people of Princeton, who emit far more beauty and “amazingness” than any building on campus; a new dimension of this appreciation seemed to rise through the start of sophomore year. As my fellow second-year friends and I reunited and caught up following move-in day, I could not help but feel there was a newfound sense of maturity among us all. While eating meals in RoMa, the dining hall on campus shared by Rocky and Mathey, and walking the same stone pathways we had not long ago, we seemed to be more sure of ourselves, having a full year under our belts and feeling more confident in our familiarity with Princeton and the directions we were headed. Our dorm rooms even exuded this growth, with more designs and pictures on the walls that showcased our backgrounds and interests. Seeing my friends (and me) mature is definitely really cool; I am grateful to get to witness this transformative becoming firsthand. As sophomores, we know a little bit more of what’s up now!

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Getting back on campus undoubtedly flooded me with many emotions and reflections. I may be back in the same place, but there is an impression of change and newness in the atmosphere that cannot be ignored. My Princeton journey is still unraveling, and I am beyond excited to see all that sophomore year has in store!

*If you have any specific questions about Princeton or would simply like to learn more about the University, please never hesitate to reach out to me or any of my fellow bloggers! My email is ds7460@princeton.edu. We love hearing from you all and helping out in any way we can; we are here for you guys!*

It is the eve of my last ever midterms week at Princeton, and I’m bringing you along on a quick recap of the last three days. You might be wondering what a typical weekend looks like at Princeton. Although there are certainly some consistencies like studying and making time to see friends, every one of them is different. This weekend, I had an exciting mix of time off campus and time spent getting a lot of work done.

Friday, February 28

For six of my eight semesters at Princeton, I was one of the lucky students that had no class on Fridays. This semester, however, I am enrolled in a class that meets Wednesdays and Fridays—nevertheless, I consider myself just as lucky. The class is one of the many classes offered by the Program for Community-Engaged Scholarship, or ProCES. Courses under this program combine “academic teaching and research with community knowledge and practice.” This means students get to engage with community partners through more directly involved projects. In our class, the largest component is our collaborative work on ongoing asylum cases handled by a New York-based organization.

On Friday, I woke up early to catch an 8:20 train to New York City with my class. It was our first time meeting with our clients in person. Although I was extremely nervous on the way there, it was great to meet our client and my group left feeling that the meeting had gone well. I spent the train ride there and back reading Anna Karenina for my Russian literature class, and when I got back, I did some light work on my friend’s dorm room floor before heading off to dinner at my co-op. I ended the night watching a movie over the phone with a loved one back home.

Saturday, March 1

With thesis deadlines coming up, my friends and I have been working hard to make progress on our research. Although I had planned on getting to Firestone, our main library, right when it opened, I was still exhausted from the day before and decided to have a slower morning. I started the day calling my parents while I made myself chilaquiles, fried eggs, and an iced coffee at the co-op—they tasted like home! I finished Anna Karenina, then I spent the rest of the day working on my current thesis chapter. In the afternoon, I took a break to get coffee and catch up with some friends I hadn’t seen in a while. After another session of work, my friend and I relocated to a new study location, walked to pick up some takeout for dinner, and brought it back to our study room. I spent the rest of the night working until I finished my chapter draft, then finished the night unwinding in my room and watching Pride and Prejudice. (By the way, it was the 2005 version, which I still do not believe is better than the 1995 BBC series adaptation.)

Sunday, March 2

Every Sunday, I get breakfast with one of my friends and we keep each other company while we study. This weekend, I invited her to my co-op to make pancakes. While cooking, our friend—who is also in my co-op and whom we both met in the same class our freshman spring—walked in and joined us. After eating and tidying up, we headed off to find where our other friends were already studying.

As I mentioned, this was the weekend before midterms week. Because it is my senior year, I am only taking three classes this semester. One of my classes has a midterm the week after spring break, another has an assignment due next Sunday, and the third—a class in the Department of Religion—has a midterm paper due this Friday. As you can tell, I’m using my senior spring to explore very different classes. Therefore, all of today was dedicated to completing this paper, which is expected to be around 3,000 words. By 4:30 in the afternoon I had made significant progress, and I showed up to my co-op for my weekly Sunday cook shift. On the menu for today: spaghetti and meatballs with marinara sauce and broccoli on the side (and a non-meat option for our members that do not eat red meat). After dinner, I made some tea, wrapped up my midterm paper, and sat down to complete this blog.

I love that my weekends at Princeton always have a good mix of familiarity and spontaneity. One of the biggest lessons I have learned during my time here has been how to balance work with my personal life and my friendships, and I think this weekend was a testament to that.

The Brown Co-Op kitchen has become one of my favorite spaces on campus, and one of the places I feel most at home. Making breakfast for myself in the mornings and going to dinner every evening are the best parts of my daily routine, and I’m always excited to see what new things—or what delicious staple—other co-op members will cook.

When I first joined the co-op in my fall semester of junior year, I remember feeling extremely intimidated by the prospect of having to cook for so many people. At that point in time, I did not have much experience cooking beyond baking the occasional dessert at home. I’d never cooked a meal for more than four people, let alone twenty to thirty. However, cooking with two or three other people every cook shift has made this experience not only extremely manageable, but really fun too.

Cook shifts normally last between 4:30 pm and 7:30 pm. I know this sounds like a long time, but those three hours really do fly by. At 4:30, members start cooking the menu of the day. One member takes charge over the protein being made for the meal, another is responsible for the sides (typically rice or some kind of pasta and a vegetable dish), and the third member makes dessert and a plant protein for our vegetarian members. In cook shifts with four people, the tasks are split up accordingly. If some members are less confident in cooking, they take over more supportive tasks like chopping vegetables and cleaning as the cook shift goes. There is always something for each person to do.

Dinner is usually ready by 6:30, at which point those on cook shift send out a message that dinner is ready. (By 6, members have already received a message with the menu for the evening.) A typical dinner has ten to fifteen people in the room at any given moment, and music is normally playing from our Bluetooth speaker. In two years of meals at the co-op, it is hard for me to pinpoint any meal that has not been delicious. Below are some of our more recent creations.

As members finish eating and washing their own plates, those on shift begin putting leftovers away and cleaning up the kitchen: running loads in the dishwasher of dishes used while cooking, sweeping and mopping the floors, cleaning the countertops, and taking out the trash. Everything is normally clean and put away by 7 or 7:30 at the latest. 

It is not uncommon for some of us to stay behind chatting or doing work (or both) for hours after dinner. These are some of my favorite memories from the last two years because it reminds me of home, when I do the same with my parents and my sister after dinner. More than anything, it is a reminder that the co-op has become a second family for me on campus. I’ve met some of my closest friends through the co-op and have spent some of my best and hardest days sitting in our dining area. Every semester, I look forward to our co-op version of "formals," when we order takeout and put away our tables in the pantry to create a dance floor. I think that when I graduate in a few months, I’ll miss this place most of all.

As I approach my second to last year at Princeton, I find myself astonished at how quickly time passes; days blur into weeks, weeks into months, and then eventually, a whole year has gone by and I find myself looking back at where I was previously and where I am today. Two years is a lot — three is even more. Three years is the right amount of time to self-proclaim myself as an expert on all things Princeton, yet also, a decent duration that leaves me time to humbly realize there is still a lot I have (probably) yet to learn. 

For now, here are some lessons, experiences, and findings I wish a 17 year old me knew when I was applying to Princeton. 

1. Princeton has a lot of resources — a TON. For example, Lewis Library has the Makerspace, which rents out plenty of portable gadgets, devices, and tools for both personal and academic use. The Career Center has frequent drop-in hours for advising sessions alongside numerous networking opportunities. Dillon Gym has a wide breadth of unique classes that one can explore when choosing to work out. Truly — every building here has its own subsection of departmental resources that help to enrich your life at Princeton. 
2. There is plenty of free food on campus. Aside from the dining halls, eating clubs, and numerous cafes at Princeton, one can find food through the FreeFood listserv. The listserv frequently promotes uneaten (and fresh) food that can be found across campus. It redirects leftover food from clubs, halls, and departments, preventing it from going to the landfill by circulating it to anyone interested in grabbing a small bite to eat or a larger meal for the day. It is simultaneously sustainable and convenient for those who find themselves wanting a snack.
3. The Residential Colleges (ResCo) at Princeton host plenty of social activities . Aside from the weekly socials that each ResCo hosts for their members, quite often, there will be opportunities to sign up for excursions with the members of your college. Some examples include going to a baseball game or a musical in Broadway.
4. Princeton has lots of fairs — career fairs, academic fairs, ResCo fairs, etc. From professional networking opportunities to extracurricular and study abroad exploration, these fairs are rich sources of snacks, merch, and information for those on the hunt for opportunities.
5. Orange grows on you — there’s something slightly obnoxious about the color that screams pride. Whether you find yourself intentionally sporting the color on a game day or just hastily slapping on the abundance of merch you find yourself accumulating, you begin to grow a deep found appreciation for orange.

These aren’t the most innovative or extraordinary findings but they are things I assume my younger self would greatly appreciate (or at least find amusing). Perhaps as you embark on your own college journey, you’ll find yourself creating your own list of musings that one day you can look back at with profound gratitude and nostalgia. 

Dear Reader,

Last week, residential college assignments dropped for the Class of 2028 and this prompted me to reflect on my experience living in the Mathey College community last year.

The Clash of the Colleges during orientation week is one of my first and fondest memories at Princeton. Everyone in the college dressed up in Mathey shirts and antler headsets (because our mascot is a Moose!) to compete against the six other colleges: Rockefeller, Whitman, Butler, Yeh, Forbes, and New College West. Marching to the stadium together, we supported our teams as they competed in different team games. The live broadcast showed our Mathey side—a large mass of maroon-colored shirts and deafening cheers—against the field.

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Great as Clash of the College was, the first week of school was tough. While the college is historic, with gothic architecture, it lacks air conditioning in the rooms, unlike Butler, Whitman, Yeh, and New College West. Fortunately, Princeton gave out window fans for students like me, so I was soon equipped with a much cooler room. Mathey’s central campus location also became my favorite part: Blair Arch, Nassau Street, East Pyne Hall, Firestone Library, and Richardson Auditorium—all of which are arguably the most picturesque spots on campus—are right next door. (And as an AB student, classes are a short walk away.)

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Throughout the semester, I grew only fonder of the Mathey community, particularly through Moose Monday, which is a weekly series of social time with free food, from acai bowls, to waffles, to chocolate fountains for Valentine’s Day! As a proud member of the Mathey College General Council, it makes my day to see others enjoying the delicious food and taking time to relax with their friends after a long day of class. Most of the Moose Mondays are open to everyone in the community, regardless of their residential college, so anyone can join!

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Speaking of food, Mathey houses a grand dining hall that most resembles the one in Harry Potter. Lit with golden chandeliers and long wooden tables, the atmosphere is a welcoming one, either for hanging out with friends at dinner or enjoying a peaceful morning breakfast.

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Finally, I must not forget to mention (from a totally unbiased perspective) that Mathey has the BEST residential college merch. Jackets, water bottles, beanies, bucket hats, and crewnecks, there is gear for all seasons and weather, all in fashionable maroon. As incoming Gear Chair for the Mathey College Council this fall, I am excited to create more merch for my fellow Matheyites and I am grateful to be part of this community. 
 

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The first drink I ever bought in downtown Princeton was a blueberry matcha from Junbi.

It was sweet and cold and a flavor combination I’d never tried before. After this came the strawberry and mango matcha lattes, which I knew I’d hate given my usual taste in fruit, but at that time, it was a part of my attempt to try new things in a brand new place. The madagascar vanilla matcha latte—which would become my sister’s favorite every time she’s in town—was another failed attempt for my lack of a sweet tooth, but I remember how sunny and warm that day was.

If freshman year was a drink, it’d be an iced matcha latte, ranging from bittersweet to sickly sweet. It’d be every flavor combination under the sun, sometimes perfect and sometimes not. My first semester at Princeton was filled with a million new and different experiences. Although I remember feeling scared and nervous at times, especially during my first few weeks on campus, I was also the most excited I’d ever been. That’s the thing with uncertainty sometimes—despite dealing with stressors I’d never encountered before, everything was a brand new puzzle to sort out. I was meeting new people, taking classes in as many departments as possible, and experiencing living away from home for the first time. By springtime, I had my usual at Junbi.

Sophomore year was the year of routine and familiarity. I knew I’d major in Politics by this point and had started finding my academic niche. I had my specific study spots, I knew exactly how to balance my time, and I’d settled into many fulfilling friendships. Truthfully, it was the most (relatively) relaxed I’d ever been at Princeton. Every exam season was fueled by hot chocolate from Small World, and on Declaration Day, when sophomores declare their majors and take pictures with their department banners, I returned to Junbi for a blended honey lavender matcha. Sophomore year was sweet and comfortable.

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And then came junior year, with its new challenges and tribulations.

Junior year was a search for the best coffee near campus. It was raspberry vanilla lattes from Small World on my way to an afternoon Politics class; cappuccinos from Maman paired with delicious pastries when on a study break with Anki; seasonal drinks from Coffee Club while I rushed from class to class; warm cappuccinos enjoyed right outside of Illy with my favorite chocolate croissants and iPad in hand; and a constant supply of NOLA cold brews from Small World during reading period.

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Truth be told, junior year was more caffeinated than I would have liked—and equally hectic—but it was a year of adjustment and growth within both my routines and myself.

From matchas to cappuccinos, I’ve learned my way around campus and navigated life as it has come. Go-to orders change, but the warm feeling of shared memories never does, and if you get at least one thing out of this blog, may it be a thoughtfully curated list of drink recommendations around campus and a reminder there’s something for everyone.

Happy Spring! It’s hard to believe it’s already April, but that also means we are entering one of my favorite times of the year at Princeton, when the flowers are in full bloom. I had a busy Easter weekend, but I appreciated the opportunity to celebrate with friends, soak in the beautiful weather, and enjoy a change of pace from my schoolwork. On Good Friday, I attended a service organized by students in Princeton Christian Fellowship (PCF), Manna Christian Fellowship, and Christian Union Nova which I had been looking forward to all week. The service included beautiful strings and vocal performances, worship songs, a message from a Manna staff member, and a time of prayer. Following the service, we enjoyed apple cider donuts and fellowship in Murray Dodge, the home of the Office of Religious Life. I caught up with some friends about their week, met a few new faces, and even ran into a friend from the Class of 2023 who made a surprise visit from Boston.

On Saturday morning, I had the luxury of sleeping in until I was woken by the sunlight. I went for a 7 mile run, my longest run yet, as part of training for my first half-marathon. I am really happy with how it went and am excited to continue running longer distances in the coming weeks! Afterwards, I headed to my co-op, 2D, which has become one of my favorite places at Princeton. Co-ops are groups of students who take turns cooking one meal each week. To be honest, I think I am eating as well as I might ever eat in my life! I am constantly surprised by the diversity of delicious food which the other students prepare, from dal to mapo tofu, and focaccia to cardamom buns. 

My cookshift is Saturday brunch, and I usually like to make a tofu stir fry in our wok, which is large enough to cover four burners. After a delicious meal of mushrooms, spicy tofu, salad made with hydroponic lettuce and vegetables from the Forbes garden, squash soup, and cornbread, I headed back to my room to do some schoolwork.

A few hours later, I got ready for my dear friend Mirae’s bridal shower. Mirae was actually my Community Action orientation leader and one of the first people I met at Princeton. She and her then-boyfriend, now fiancé, helped one of my first-year roommates and I carry a free couch we found a mile off campus all the way to our room, even though she had only met me the day before. The bridal shower was beautifully executed by her friends in Princeton Christian Fellowship and beyond, and I was also able to catch up with another good friend from the Class of 2022 who came down from New York City.

After the bridal shower, I headed to the International Food Fest organized by our Class Government, which featured food from around the world and was a great chance to catch up with a friend who I studied abroad with last semester and discuss a book we both recently finished.

My friend and I went back to my room, where I did a reading for my Psychotherapy class before heading over to Richardson Auditorium to watch my first Naacho show. Naacho is Princeton’s premier South Asian dance company. I had always wanted to attend one of their shows, and this year a first-year student from my hometown was performing, so I had an extra reason to go. I was blown away by the dancers’ infectious energy and excitement, the intricate and clean formations, and the diversity of styles they showcased, and I cannot wait to attend another one of their shows next year. Being in Triple 8 has shown me just how much work goes into putting together a show, especially the week leading up to it, so I had a lot of respect for the dancers and choreographers who spent many late nights rehearsing and poured their hearts into the performance. I have never seen so many dancers evidently having so much fun on stage, and the audience was hooked.

After a packed day, I was ready for a good night’s sleep. The following morning was Easter Sunday. I was happy to see the sun was out again, and I headed to the U-Store to catch the bus to Stone Hill Church. Usually, we have approximately 10-15 students on the bus, but this week the bus was completely full, and so was the church sanctuary, which was such a blessing to see! The service was filled with joyous music from our worship team, brass band, and choir, and our senior pastor shared an engaging message which had the entire congregation laughing. After the service, students headed to various Easter brunches generously hosted by PCF staff members and local families. I attended brunch with my “adopted family” from Stone Hill. It was very special to eat an incredible home-cooked meal prepared with love and enjoy the warmth of a home together with other students.

After returning to campus, my friend Grace and I remarked how beautiful the magnolia trees were and took advantage of the sunny weather to take a few photos.

Next, I headed to Dillon Gym for a Triple 8 rehearsal for a spring choreography video (stay tuned for our video releases this summer!), after which I finally sat down to do some work. The events and celebrations of the weekend were very meaningful and brought me a lot of joy, but I certainly had a lot to catch up on. I spent the rest of the evening working with a friend in Firestone Library and Murray-Dodge Cafe, where we grabbed free cookies to fuel our brains.

What a weekend! Most of my weekends are not nearly this busy, and I did have some catching up to do the following week, but I wanted to share this special weekend in the life and prove that it is possible to relax and have fun even in the midst of a crazy semester. Thank you to all those who organized these events!